Jeremiah 40:7

7 cum ergo audissent omnes principes exercitus qui dispersi fuerant per regiones ipsi et socii eorum quod praefecisset rex Babylonis Godoliam filium Ahicam terrae et quod commendasset ei viros et mulieres et parvulos et de pauperibus terrae qui non fuerant translati in Babylonem

Jeremiah 40:7 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 40:7

Now when all the captains of the forces which [were] in the
fields
Not the captains of the king of Babylon's forces, but the captains of the king of Judah's forces; who either during the siege had lurked in the fields and villages, not daring to fall upon the Chaldean army, or attempt to raise the siege; or rather who fled with Zedekiah from Jerusalem, when the city was taken, and who deserted him, when he was apprehended, and shifted for themselves, and were dispersed about in the country, where they continued for some little time: but when they and their men;
their servants, or rather the common soldiers that were under them: heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
governor in the land;
his viceroy or deputy governor in the land of Judea; being a prince of considerable note among the Jews, and in high favour with the king of Babylon: and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the
poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive unto
Babylon;
even as many men, women, children, and poor, as were left in the land, and not carried captive; these were all committed to the care of this prince, to rule over and govern them; to keep them in subjection to the king of Babylon; to employ them in cultivating the land, from whence some profit might arise to the conqueror and new proprietor of it.

Jeremiah 40:7 In-Context

5 et mecum noli venire sed habita apud Godoliam filium Ahicam filii Saphan quem praeposuit rex Babylonis civitatibus Iudaeae habita ergo cum eo in medio populi vel quocumque placuerit tibi ut vadas vade dedit quoque ei magister militiae cibaria et munuscula et dimisit eum

6 venit autem Hieremias ad Godoliam filium Ahicam in Masphat et habitavit cum eo in medio populi qui relictus fuerat in terra

7 cum ergo audissent omnes principes exercitus qui dispersi fuerant per regiones ipsi et socii eorum quod praefecisset rex Babylonis Godoliam filium Ahicam terrae et quod commendasset ei viros et mulieres et parvulos et de pauperibus terrae qui non fuerant translati in Babylonem

8 venerunt ad Godoliam in Masphat et Ismahel filius Nathaniae et Iohanan et Ionathan filii Caree et Sareas filius Thenoemeth et filii Offi qui erat de Nethophathi et Iezonias filius Maachathi ipsi et viri eorum

9 et iuravit eis Godolias filius Ahicam filii Saphan et comitibus eorum dicens nolite timere servire Chaldeis habitate in terra et servite regi Babylonis et bene erit vobis